Tour & Talk
'Live it up' at Riverside in 2025!
Just south of Iowa City and nestled along Highway 22, Riverside Casino & Golf Resort is an entertainment destination for Midwesterners. But our favorite part? It's family-owned. Join us on Thursday, May 1, in Riverside, Iowa, for this Tour & Talk event!
CEO and second generation owner Dan Kehl will lead a lunchtime keynote about their family's story and journey in the entertainment sector. We're excited that every family member who works in the business will be in attendance that day, plus they'll lead walking tours around the entertainment spaces.
Click below to see the full agenda and register for the event!
Agenda
10:30-11 a.m. — Registration at the Riverside Casino Event Center
11 a.m. — Walking tours led by Kehl family
Noon — Lunch keynote by Dan Kehl, CEO of Elite Casino Resorts
1 p.m. — Governance workshop
BREAK
2:30 p.m. — Optional Tee Time (golfing) or networking
Accommodations
A block of hotel rooms are available at the Riverside Casino Hotel. Call the hotel and give them the name "Northern Iowa" to reserve your stay at a lower rate.
Things To Do
During the afternoon, we are reserving a tee time for anyone interested in golfing 18 rounds. Fill out the registration form and indicate your interest to sign up.
For anyone who isn't golfing, we invite you to network with us after the event or visit the Riverside Casino spa, pool, or boutique. And don't forget about the excellent restaurant options before you hit the casino floor!
Thursday Restaurant Hours
Robert's Buffet: 4 - 9 p.m.
Ruthie's Steakhouse: 5 - 9 p.m.
Draft Day Sports Lounge Kitchen: 4 - 9 p.m.
22 & Vine Cafe: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.
The Kehl Family
The Kehl family’s entrepreneurial journey began in the 1960s with a café and dinner cruises on the Mississippi River. By the 1970s, Bob and Ruth Kehl expanded their business to include catering and riverboat operations, acquiring the “Spirit of Dubuque” in 1977. In 1990, the Kehls seized a pivotal opportunity, securing Iowa’s first riverboat gaming license. This bold move transformed the industry, and the Kehl family became integral to Iowa’s gaming landscape. Their ventures expanded with ownership of four riverboat casinos and later, the founding of Elite Casino Resorts, LLC.
Today, the Kehls oversee several premier properties, including Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, Grand Falls Casino Resort, and Rhythm City Casino Resort, all of which have been recognized for their strategic success. Through visionary leadership and a deep understanding of evolving markets, the Kehl family continues to shape the future of gaming and hospitality in the Midwest.
Each season, the FBC hosts a Tour & Talk at a family business headquartered in Iowa. The one-day event typically begins with a tour of the business from family leaders, followed by a luncheon, and concludes with a presentation and Q&A with the family CEO or president. These events allow families to learn from each other’s operations. We also have a breakout session or workshop to dive deeper into family business topics.
Dee Zee Mfg
Dee Zee Manufacturing is a hidden gem of a family business that you don't hear enough about. In 2024, family businesses were hosted at Dee Zee's Pleasant Hill campus by Kelli Gallagher, second generation and president of this multichannel aftermarket supplier and leading provider of side steps and roof rails for OEM's. Kelli, along with her son and sister, shared about their journeys in the family business, took us on a tour of their increasing number of buildings, and shared how they went from a 325 employee business to over 1,000.
Kemin Industries
In 2023, Iowa families met at Kemin Industries to hear about how a small family business turned into an international powerhouse. Participants heard from siblings Dr. Chris Nelson, president and CEO, and Libby Nelson, VP and general counsel. Then, groups took a tour of the manufacturing facilities and laboratories and wrapped up the day with a lunch.
Fareway
In 2021, Fareway hosted the FBC Tour & Talk event at their headquarters in Boone, Iowa. Reynolds Cramer, CEO, is pictured leading a tour. Later in the day, he shared his family story and answered questions about the business.
Interested in hosting a Tour & Talk event?
Please contact Jayne Kielman, business development manager, at jayne.kielman@uni.edu or 319-559-0050.
